MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines said Thursday it would seek more
US military help during top-level talks next week, as it ignored a
warning from China not to “internationalize” a tense territorial
dispute.
Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said the Philippines was looking
to the United States to help it achieve a “credible” defense system,
and wanted to extract maximum benefits from a mutual defense treaty
between the allies.
Signed in 1951, the treaty calls on both sides to come to each
other’s aid in times of external attacks, and the Philippines has
highlighted the pact as it stands up to Beijing over rival claims to the
West Philippines Sea (South China Sea).
“We are going to the United States in order to be able to maximize
the benefits derived out of this mutual defense treaty,” Del Rosario
told reporters.
“The idea of achieving a minimum credible defense posture is something that we should try to do.”
Del Rosario and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin are expected to
meet with their US counterparts Hillary Clinton and Leon Panetta in
Washington on April 30.
The meeting comes as the Philippines is locked in an increasingly
tense dispute with China over Scarborough Shoal, a group of islets in
the South China Sea where vessels from both sides have been in a
stand-off since April 8.
China on Wednesday warned the Philippines not to “internationalize” the issue and force other countries to take sides.
But Del Rosario said Thursday the dispute also impacted other countries that wanted unhampered access to vital sea lanes.
“I think all nations who have an interest in keeping freedom of
navigation… should be watching carefully as to what is happening there,”
he said.
“We would want all nations, including the United States, to make a
judgment on what is happening there and what the implications are to
their own country,” he said.
Del Rosario did not say what specific help the Philippines wanted in
the US talks, but defense officials earlier said Manila would ask to
acquire a coast guard vessel and F-16 fighter jets.
China claims all of the West Philippine Sea as a historic part of its
territory, even waters close to the coasts of the Philippines and other
Southeast Asian countries.
Experts say the overlapping claims are a potential flashpoint that could destabilize regional security.
The Philippines has accused China of increasingly being aggressive in staking its claims.
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Agence France-Presse | The Philippine Star | April 26, 2012 | Article Link
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